New Ferrari falls from one extreme to another in the WEC

( Motorsport-Total. com)– The position of the Ferrari 499 P in its very first season in the hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) can not yet be properly computed after 2 races. In the season opener, the 1000 miles of Sebring in March, the automobile was close to the Toyota GR010 Hybrid in regards to efficiency. In the 2nd race, the 6h Portimao last weekend, Ferrari dropped somewhat ahead in direct contrast. There is a factor.

Antonio Fuoco, Nicklas Nielsen and Miguel Molina completed second in Portimao behind the triumphant Toyota of Buemi/Hartley/Hirakawa. At Ferrari, nevertheless, they honestly confess that the whole method and method to the Portuguese weekend was conservative.

” At Sebring we most likely didn’t deal with the tires carefully enough. Recalling, we most likely must have pressed more here (Portimao),” states Giuliano Salvi, who heads the race and test program for the 2 Ferrari 499 Ps utilized by AF Corse.

” We wished to prevent any cliff, that is, a drop in tire efficiency. It was essentially the opposite (compared to Sebring). Recalling, we overemphasized,” Salvi confesses and thinks that a person must choose a bit more. Tire’s strong method in Portimao might have made more than 2nd location.

Unlike the winning Toyota and likewise unlike the Porsche 963, whose Estre/Lotterer/Vanthoor completed third, the Ferrari 499 P finished the whole race range on medium tires. Toyota and Porsche both drove a medium and smooth substance in the race.

Apart from the tire technique, Salvi points out the 2nd reason that Ferrari acted conservatively in the 2nd race of the season: “We simply need to collect kilometers to comprehend the automobile much better. Considering that the test drive is restricted, everybody provides a huge variety of information when you reach your location.”

With Fuoco/Nielsen/Molina ending up 2nd on the podium and providing the 499 P its 2nd podium (after their 3rd location at Sebring), James Calado, Alessandro Pier Guidi and Antonio Giovinazzi in the 2nd Ferrari 499 P did not end up greater than P6 at Portimao out. Salvi is persuaded that without problems with the brake-by-wire system, this cars and truck “would have ended up in 3rd location”.

© Paul Foster

Would Calado/Pier Guidi/Giovinazzi likewise go into the podium? zoom

In preparation for the huge program of the WEC season, the 24 Hours of Le Mans on 10./11 In June, Ferrari still has 2 chances to include more kilometers to its hypercar. April 29 th 6 Business hours are on the program. The Italians will hold among the uncommon allowed test days, at Monza in May.

” We will be more aggressive from time to time,” assures Salvi and thinks that the 499 P “still has a great deal of capacity that we have not utilized yet.”